Subhash Park in Kochi, Kerala, is set to create a buzz by opening a nature interpretation centre, a pollinator garden and a herbal garden soon. These new attractions in the city are pilot projects aimed at connecting the urban population with biodiversity, an initiative by ICLEI South Asia under the INTERACT-Bio project, which is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).
The interpretation centre and live demonstration areas (pollinator garden and herbal garden) within the park will help to showcase the native biodiversity in Kochi. The planned pollinator garden also proposes to provide a suitable food base to native pollinator (butterfly and moth) species, which will help to increase their population and support in augmenting food production within the city. The herbal garden and the nature interpretation centre will help visitors to understand and appreciate the diversity and significance of medicinal plants as well as biodiversity and ecosystem services, respectively.
A separate section in the park will focus on the backwaters and the ecosystem services they provide. The herbal and butterfly gardens are expected to be ready by December, and work on developing the nature interpretation centre will commence shortly.